Crunchy red onion, a pop of sweet corn, and a hint of spice makes these Red Lentil Fritters the absolute best!
Fritters. They are just fun to say. And also fun to make! This is a perfect main dish at any time of the year.
Red lentils work well in this recipe because by nature, when cooked they are softer than other lentils and can be easily mixed and formed into patties without falling apart. They only take about 15-20 minutes to cook and do not require soaking.
A few benefits of lentils
- Red lentils have 12 grams of protein per half cup serving
- Lentils are higher in folate than any other food source, helping to support red blood cell formation and proper nerve functions
- Lentils are a good source of iron, providing 15% of your daily needs. Getting enough iron in your diet is important, as it is a protein that is needed to transfer oxygen to the blood.
These fritters are perfect for making a big batch and eating throughout the week. You can eat them on their own, toss them on salads, combine them with your favorite sides, or even stack them up and eat them on a sandwich!
Here is what you´ll need:
Red lentils, red onion, corn, carrots, garlic, flour (I use chickpea but any flour will do), lemon, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper (not pictured)
Ingredients prepped and ready to go!
How to make Red Lentil Fritters – Step by step
Add red lentils, onion, garlic, carrot, corn to a large bowl 
Mix! 
Add flour, paprika, cumin, cayenne pepper, and salt 
Mix and refrigerate for 30 minutes (optional but recommended) 
Form into palm-sized patties 
Heat olive oil in a pan over med-high heat. Fry on both sides for 4-5 min until nice and browned 
Done! Imperfect and fritter-like
I love serving these guys with my tahini sriracha sauce, the recipe is below. This creamy sauce gives just the right amount of tang and spice to pair perfectly with the red lentil fritters.
Red Lentil Fritters
Ingredients
Fritters
- 1 cup red lentils (200g)
- 1 red onion finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves finely minced or pressed
- 2 carrots peeled and grated
- ½ cup sweet corn (100g)
- ¼ cup flour (70 g) I use chickpea flour to add extra protein (22g vs 13g in regular flour per cup), but any flour will do!
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp cumin
- ⅛ tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tbsp lemon juice (from half a lemon)
- 1 tsp salt, more to taste
Tahini Sriracha Sauce
- ⅓ cup unsweetened soy or almond milk
- ¼ cup tahini
- 1 tbs mustard (I use smooth dijon, but regular mustard also works!)
- 1 tbs maple syrup
- 1 tbs lemon juice
- 1-2 heaping tsp sriracha start with one, taste, and add more if you wish! I like it with 2 heaping tsp.
Instructions
Fritters
- Cook the red lentils: In a sauce pan, bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil and add the lentils. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook for 20 minutes. Transfer to a large mixing bowl and allow to cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add the onion, garlic, carrots, and corn to the same large bowl and mix well.
- Add the flour, paprika, lemon juice, cumin, salt, and cayenne. Mix well. Taste the mixture and add more salt if necessary.
- Refrigerate for 30 minutes. This step is optional but recommended as it makes it easier to form the mixture into patties. If you are in a rush then you can skip this step. I have skipped it before and they still turn out great, the mixture is just very wet when trying to form into patties.
- Form the mixture into palm-sized patties. Wet your hands if necessary to keep them from sticking to the patties.
- Heat 2 tbs of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the fritters in batches. They should sizzle a bit when you add them to the skillet. Allow to cook for 3-5 minutes on each side, you want them to get nice and browned on each side. Even if they burn slightly, don´t sweat it. They´re FRITTERS!
- Serve with your favorite sides. I love them with roasted potatoes, red cabbage, and drizzled with my tahini-sriracha sauce on top! These keep well in the fridge for 4-5 days and also freeze well for longer storage. When reheating, allow to defrost first, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium-high heat and fry on each side for about 2min on each side until warm throughout.
Tahini Sriracha Sauce
- In a small bowl, mix all ingredients together with a small whisk. Easy as that!